Automatic spark and choke-valve control



April 2, 1929- H. J. EDWARDS 1,707,715

AUTOMATIC SPARK AND CHOKE VALVE CONTROL Original Filed Nov. 25. 1918 3Sheets-Sheet. 1

INVENTOR. I Henry J [HWMJ April 2, 1929- J. r DwARDs 1 ',707,715

AUTOMATIC SPARK AND CHOKE VALVE CONTROL Original Filed w. 25. 1918 5sheets-Sheet, 2

INVENTOR. Henry cl. Edwards A TTORNEY April 2, 1929. J EDWARDS 1,707,715

AUTOMATIC SPARK AND CHOKE VALVE CONTROL Original Filed Nov. 25. 1918 5Sheets-Sheet 3 lllllllll.

mwszvron. henr y d. Edwards wamw A TTORNEY Patented 2, 192 9.

. UNITED STATES I 1,701,715 PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY J. EDWARDS, 0F ELYRIA, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH COR-PORATION, 0F TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

-AUTOMATIO SPARK AN D CHOkE-VALVE CON TBOL.

Original application filed November 25, 1918, Serial No. 264,064.Divided and this application filed September 16, 1920.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic speed regulatingdevices for internal combustion engines of the type known as slidingsleeve valve or Knight engines illustrated and. described in my formerapplication, Serial No. 264,064, filed November 25,1918, and of whichthis application is a division.

By my invention I contemplate the use of automatic means for controllingthe s eed of the engine, including a valve contro ling mechanismresponsive to the engine speed.

The particular, arrangement of speed controlling means, the location or"the speed responsive device, together with the particular arrangement ofa, controlling valve, also constitutes one of the novel means which myinvention is intended to provide, and in this connection I also providemanually controlled means for simultaneously varying the mixturedelivered to the engine and controlling the spark advance, this featurehaving particular utility in starting the engine, and, when onceoperated, is left open and the mechanism thereupon operatesautomatically.

This invention further contemplates and has for its object the provisionof a novel arrangement of fuel and air-mixing valve of a simplifiedcharacter, avoiding the necessity of the use of a carburetor, the samebeing also located and arranged so as to draw air from the interior ofthe crank case of the engine.

Further objects of the invention relate to various economies ofmanufacture and details of construction as will hereinafter appear fromthe detailed description of that particular embodiment of the inventionwhich for purposes of illustration 1 have shown in the appended drawingsin which,

Figure I is a side elevation of the engine and the electric generatingunit operated by it, viewed from the side on which the timer and inletpipe are located.

Figure II is an end elevation, viewed from the generator end.

Figure III is a section on line 3-3 of Fig we I.

The novel type of air and fuel mixing valve, its combination with thecrank casing of the engine, and the automatic control of the speed. ofthe engine by a speed responsive mechanism connected with the throttleof the engine, together with the manually con= Serial No. 410,634.

trolled means for varying the combustible mixture will, it is believed,be understood from the following description taken in conspection of thedrawing. The casting is provided with an upwardly extending projection86 recessed to receive a filtering material 87, held. in place by asuitable apertured plate 88 to form means for priming the engine withgasoline in starting, the casting 80 also having a vertical opening 89therethrough to connect the interior of the projection 86 with theVenturi passage. It will thus be seen that the Venturi pipe or mixingvalve is constantly open to the atmosphere at its most restricted point.

The casting 80 is provided with a downwardly extending terminal 90 whichis provided with bearings 91 and 92 for a butterfly valve 98, the valvein turn being provided with. a valve handle 94 to be operated manually.An air tube 95 is connected to the lower extremity of the terminal 90,and this tube has adjacent the lower end thereof a plurality of inletopenings 96, whereby it will be seen that air may be drawn in throughthe pipe 95 and pass the valve 93 when open, through the Vonturi pipe inthe-casing 8G and into the intake manifold 81 to the engine. It will benoted that the openin s 96 in the tube 95 communicate directly wit lithe atmosphere. The lower end of the tube 95 is supported by a casting97, which is joined at its opposite end to the casing 13, as appearsfrom Figure I. The casting 97 is hollow, as indicated and connects witha passage communicating directly with the interiorfof the crank casingof the engine. Supported on a suitable base ring, 100 are a plurality ofreeds 101 and 102 adapted to operate as a check valve to permit air tobe drawn out through the hollow pipe connection 9? from the interior ofthe crank casing into and through the pipe 95,

and prevent air from returning into the crank reeds 101 and 102 may bemade relatively delicate and particularly efli-cient in operation forthe purposes intended; When the engine is first started and the piston59 descends, the same forces the air out of the crank casing 13 andthrough the passage in the casting 97, past the check valve formed bythe reeds 101 and 102, and through the tube 95 whence it is drawn intothe intake passage, as will be readily understood "from the constructionshown and described. Upon this suction stroke of the engine, itwill thusbe seen that the air is exhausted from within the crank case of theengine and thereafter upon a compression stroke thereof, the reeds 101and 102 lpseto prevent the re-entrance of the air to the crank case, andthe mechanism operates to tend to provide a partial vacuum within thecrank case. It will be seen that this system operates to prevent leakageof oil around the bearings and moreover when used with a Knight enginein which the compression is particularly efiective, the system operatesto improve the operation of the engine generally,

The mixture contrellingvalve 93 having the operating handle 94 hasconnected thereto a lever 105 extending downwardly and linked to an arm106 extending interiorly ot' a timer casing 107 to connect and carry amovable arm 108 of thetiming mechanism. As

shown, the timer'109 is located on and directly operated by thetransverse eccentric shaft 40 of the engine, In this manner it will beseen that the mechanism may be arranged to retard the spark and at thesame time shut oil the air to provide a rich mixture in starting theengine, and that when once started the spark is automatically advancedto the proper timing with the speed of the engine when valve 93 broughtto a. position to so regulate the amount of air drawn into the mixingvalve as to produce the proper mixture with the fuel used. lt-is, offcourse, apparent that the valve 93 may be arranged to be operatedseparately of any spark controlling means, i desired, It, is to be notedthat the charge forming device has no adjustable parts whatover, such asneedle valve, or auxiliary air valve and hence is incapable of becomingdisadjusted when operated by unskilled persons, The use of this nonadjustable charge former is rendered possible by my combine tion ofchoke valve and speed governor as described hereinafter;

, The mixing valve or casting 80 is provided with a butter-fly throttle110 as shown in Figure ill, and thesame maybe connected by a system oflevers 111 to a speed responsive-device regulated by the speed of the engine. In the particular type employed herein, I have chosen to providethe eccentric shaft with a governor 112 having the fly weights 113ivoted to a collar 113 on the shaft 40, and connected to a slidingsleeve 114, which carries a yoke 115. connected to the rock arm 116which in turn is pivotally connected to one of the levers 111. The flyltle is controlled by a speed responsive device driven from the engine.To further enhance the constant speed at which the engine operates, lhave provided a dash pot 120 connected to the rock shaft 116 to thusfurther regulate and render more even the actuations of the governor incontrolling the speed of the engine. Any suitable dash pot constructionfor this purpose may be employed, and a detailed description of the oneused is, therefore, deemed unnecessary.

"While I have described my invention in more or less detail, and asbeing embodied. in certain forms, I do not desire or intend to belimited thereto, as it is obvious to those skilled in the art that myinvention is capable of various modifications and, arrangements ofparts, as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. in an internal combustion engine, having a cylinder and a fuel intakepassage, the combination of an integral fuel and air min ing device, athrottle valve between the mixing device and engine, an air conduitconnected to the mixing device, a choke valve in said conduit, a sparktimer for the engine, and single means for operating said choke valveand timer. 2. In an internal con'ih'istion engine havmg a cylinder and afuel intake passage, the combination of an integral fuel and air min ingdevice, a speed responsive throttle valve between said mixing device andengine cylinder, an air conduit connected to the mixing device, a chokevalve in said conduit, a spark timer for the engine, means for advancingand retarding said timer, and means for simultaneously closing the chokevalve and retarding the timer.

3. in an internal combustion engine having a cylinder and a fuel intakepassage the combination of an integral fuel and air min ing device, aspeed responsive throttle valve between said mixing device and enginecylinder, a spark timer for said engine, a choke valve for cutting ofthe main air supply to said mixing device and havin interconnection withsaid timer, where y during starting the spark is retarded and a richmixture furnished by the closing of said choke valve, and during normalrunning a lean mixture, is furnished by opening said chokevalve and theengine speed governed by said throttle.

4. In an internal combustion engine having a cylinder, a fuel intakepassage and a crank case, the combination of a fuel and air mixingdevice; an air conduit between the mixing device and the crank case; aspark a timer for the engine; means in said conduit for controlling gasmovement from the crank case to said mixing device; and additionalsingle means for operating said timer and gas controlling means. v

5. In an internal combustion engine having a crank casing, a cylinderand a fuel inlet passage; the combination of an air controlling valveadapted to be connected to the fuel inlet passage; a timer; means tosimultaneously operate said timer and air controlling valve; a conduitbetween said valve and the interior of the crank casing; and a checkvalve in said conduit, said check valve consisting of flexible leafmembers having corresponding ends attached to opposite sides of saidconduit and their other ends cont-acting, and side plates for saidmembers, said leaf members converging in avdirection toward the mixingvalve whereby said leaf valve is opened only on the movement of air fromthe crank case.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

HENRY J. EDWARDS.

